Come into my world
by yume girl 91
Summary: Shy high-schooler Chizuru Awayuki is a gamer. What happens when the virtual world comes alive after she purchases a certain rare otome game ...and six hot men appear in her living room?AU ChizuruxShinsengumi


-_Come into my world_ -

Popcorn. _Check_.

Soda. _Check_.

Excuses made to school office and brother gone for several hours..._double check_.

The mental list being marked off lacked only one thing. Chizuru Awayuki held it now in her arms, nearly twirling around the mailbox when the package had arrived, acting every minute like the fan-girl Sen-chan always accused her of being.

The battered plastic cover over a central image of a white-haired, red-eyed samurai did little to dissuade her enthusiasm. It was one of the rarest Otome games from ten years ago, _Hakuoki Demon of the Fleeting Blossom_. When she had won the online bid from a foreign seller she'd been anxious - now - that the game cartridge was in her hot little hands, ecstatic.

Enough so that she'd immediately come down with a _hacking cough_ and got off school for the rest of the week, with a few promises to school faculty to have Kaoru pick up her work and bring it to her - that was the easy part.

Setting up the PS3, she had deposited her hard-won disc into the slot and watched as the flat screen panel rippled with the old ASKYS logo. Chizuru smoothed out her skirt over her knees, a light blue rainbow decal shirt tossed over the casual pleated skirt. Her shoulder-length hair she'd gathered up into a loose ponytail, a typical everyday style she'd have worn when attending school. Undoubtedly her father would've frowned on any lapse of absence, but since his home visits were rarer and rarer, she'd gotten Kaoru's promise not to breathe a word of her ' playing hooky' with anyone.

Her expectations rose as the intro began. The characters were introduced in slow succession, flashes of stilted game play accompanying their names. She memorized them, her mind already running through the different scenarios of the unique 'choose your fate' feature. _One of seven paths_...

She knew whose route she was going to pick first. She navigated to the play button on the main menu, hitting it just as the shrill ring of the phone came. Chizuru groaned loudly, tossing her game controller to the side in a fit of disappointment. Rising smoothly she padded into the narrow alcove across the long room, picking the phone up by the third ring.

"Awayuki Residence." she chirped, turning her back on the other room. Wall partitions formed a small shadowy space for a small art deco table to hold large office phone. The line went briefly staticky before a familiar voice came on.

"Chizuru? What're you doing home, sweetheart?"

She grimaced and hunched further into the alcove, twiddling with the coiled cord of the receiver nervously. "Ah, hello, dad. H-how are things?"

"Chizuru." Koudou Awayuki's normally parental gentleness changed to mild chastisement. "Are you staying home to play video games?"

Damn. Nailed it right on the head! She quickly whipped up her excuse. "No! I -" she coughed, she hoped convincingly, "my throat was hurting this morning..I don't feel so good so I'm staying home _today_."

Her father _hnned_ on the other end, suspicion temporarily allayed. "Alright, just make sure to have Kaoru bring your schoolwork home. I don't want you getting behind, Chizuru, you know I have hopes on you attending To-oh University."

"Of course." _typical_. He wanted her to go into the medical field. Chizuru had heard the same thing for too many years and merely acquiesced with it to please him. _She liked helping people_...but she wanted his approval most of all. Kaoru was free to choose whatever fancied him, his interest as of late dwelled more toward professional Ice Hockey - oh the injuries that came with that were a constant source of new headaches...

Had she even glanced at a career day brochure in anything but the medical field and brought it home, Koudou-otousan would've flown into a fit. That, more than anything else stung her. Chizuru for the most part was able to ignore it and continue on, half-heartedly listening to her father's comments about the faculty members he knew and about the wonderful four-year nursing program - she made the right noises of agreement, her gaze slowly drifting to the frosted panel of glass running from the ceiling to the floor, allowing the illusion of privacy from the living room.

Her eyes narrowed.

In the space of a blink, her longing thoughts of resuming her game were lost.

She had seen a flash - a brilliant splash of light like a camera bulb going off soundlessly, the frosted pane hadn't let it dazzle her but where had the illumination come from? She soon realized that the small background noise of the game's music had faded and -

"Chizuru!" someone called out suddenly.

Unthinkingly, she covered the mouthpiece of the phone, calling, "I'm here!" Then cold realization dawned. She was alone - _very much alone_ - and that voice despite being male was most certainly not Kaoru's.

"Is something wrong, Chizuru?" Koudou asked worriedly on the other end of the line. Chizuru slowly removed her hand from the mouthpiece. "Y-yeah. I-I'll call you back later, 'kay." she barely waited for the hesitant 'goodbye' before replacing the receiver back on the cradle.

"I thought we were running down a street." complained a youthful voice.

"Maybe it's an oni-illusion."

"Can they do that?"

"I'm not sure about anyone else, but there was this ...light and now look at this? Where are we?"

"That doesn't matter, Souji. First we must ascertain that Yukimura is safe."

She peeked around the sheet of frosted glass, unsure if it had been a mistake on not immediately calling the Police. Six blue-coated men stood in various positions of confusion were occupying the spacious living room. The flash she had first glimpsed had clearly come from the TV. The screen had gone a blank black - supposition of course made her put two and two together - _there was no way_...

"Chizuru-chan?" One of them had spotted her! She stifled her scream and took a better look at this apparition, whom, on closer examination looked remarkably familiar. It was a boy close to her age, low brown fringe framed light-colored eyes reflecting concern, there was a hint of wildness to them, but also a proclivity for kindness. The boy wore a greenish-yellow kimono opened low at the neck. His hair was longer than almost any she had seen, swept up into a high ponytail that swished when he drew closer.

"Chizuru-chan?" he scanned her from bottom to top, flushing a little. "Why are you dressed so _indecently_?"

She blinked, _that, _she hadn't been expecting, firing off. "What do you mean, intruder! This is how I always dress!" from the corner of her eye, she saw a tall redhead motion to a dark-haired one with a long ponytail. Something about hitting her head and not remembering.

"I-intruder! What do you mean? We were looking for you!"

She couldn't stop her eyes from widening to saucer-size.

"Toshi, I have to admit this looks like Chizuru-chan, but are we truly positive she would..."

"Be quiet, Souji."

"Alright. But shouldn't we-"

"No."

"Owww! Not the hair! Not the hair! Chizuruuu-chan!"

She started pulling and yanking, convinced immediately that it was a wig. The other males across the room winced visibly and drew back, while the central most one appeared to be 'thinking'. Chizuru had already noticed his long dark ponytail including the quietest one to the far right of the sofa, whom seemed to be having second thoughts about his violet hair being safe draped over one shoulder. It wasn't long before she realized, something was somewhat amiss in her hair pulling.

For one, the boy struggled and wailed, but didn't actually employ any of the smooth muscles he clearly possessed, in swatting her away. Then again, the hair she had fistfuls of was ...silky. Undoubtedly real and come to think of it...

"You-you're...Todo Heisuke?"

The intro flashed through her mind, _sitting through it, game controller in hand_. _Memorizing the faces_.

"Yes!" the boy wailed, tears in his eyes. His hands went to his messy hair, unwillingly she was reminded of a kicked puppy. "Do you remember us now?" he asked hopefully.

"See?" the redhead whom she recognized as Harada Sanosuke, said patiently.

She switched her gaze to the other with short auburn hair, the autumn-colored kimono and mischievous green eyes labeled him with a name. "Okita Souji-?"

"Ah, I'm flattered you recall me as well, Chizuru-chan." his smile resembled that of a satisfied cat. Somehow that made heat rise to her face, immediately she spun around and pinched her cheeks. "Okay. Okay...I've got to be dreaming..wake up! Wake up! I'm Awayuki Chizuru! Wake up, girl!" _Because...this is just too weird_.

"You aren't dreaming, I assure you that much, Yukimura."

"Did you get confused or something?"

"I suspect trauma may have done something to her memory." The violet-haired - er- Saito Hajime ventured to say.

"Quit discussing me like I'm not even here!"

"Poor Chizuru-chan. That bastard Chikage's gonna pay!"

_Are they not listening to me..at all! _she raged silently, watching them huddle together around Hijikata Toshizo.

"If I recall correctly, Todo-kun, you were the one who was supposed to watch over Chizuru-chan on the mission." Harada Sanosuke said, nodding slightly. "But when you couldn't take the idea of her acting as a Geiko to get information we needed-"

Heisuke turned an interesting shade of red, while Chizuru shifted from foot to foot, clearly forgotten. "Bu-but it was _indecent!_ She was just too _beautiful_ to be around those drunkards! Not that Chizuru-chan isn't lovely all the time..." he muttered off in an undertone.

There it was again. That word..._indecent_. It made her want to smack the brat into tomorrow, especially for calling her 'beautiful'.

"Yes." Hijikata said deathly calm, never letting it be known which part of the previous sentences he was agreeing about, his gaze making the errant Eighth Captain freeze open-mouthed in protest. "But you allowed the Satsuma to take her. Therefore it was _your_ fault."

"B-u-t!"

"No buts, jerkwad! I'll show you indecent!" she launched herself at the wide-eyed boy, who was conveniently left behind by his blue-coated intruders/comrades whichever came first.

"Nooooooooo! Chizuru-chan! Wait until we're married-!"

"In your dreams!"

Okita chuckled, but had retreated a safe distance away. Saito had joined him and had currently closed his eyes, turning away from such idiocy. Only Harada and Shinpachi looked on, fighting grins.

"Fool." Hijikata pronounced softly, avoiding the violence. A few of the Shinsengumi shot him speculative looks but the proud vice-commander left the wails of the youngest Captain behind and began to inspect the quarters they had...for all intensive purposes, _arrived in_. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, even the odd accoutrements in the room paled in comparison to Yukimura's...scandalously short attire. One could see most definitely that she was of the female persuasion...and a budding one at that. Not that he hadn't noticed _before_.

Toshizo had always tried to distance himself from thoughts of perversion this however proved most difficult when the girl was prancing around, revealing far too much creamy skin. To his chagrin, his face felt slightly heated and cautiously he averted it, glimpsing a wavy reflection himself in the large flat dark object centered in front of the raised multi-seat article several feet away. _Was it a mirror?_ He looked closer at it, gaze dropping to the shelf below _the mirror_ - he decided, and items that looked like...books? But not quite. Situated beneath. _Most interesting_ _these western items_.

"Yukimura...what are these?"

Chizuru snapped out of her berating of Heisuke's head to switch her attention to Hijikata who crouched in front of the flat screen TV and was peering closely at the _impressive_ line-up of her video games.

"...Dating Island?" He pronounced with difficulty, "Dating Island 2? Ouran High-school special edition?" He turned piercing sapphire eyes her way. "What does this all mean?"

Before she could catch her breath from the effect of his stare, ever the smart-one, Okita butted in, "well, dating- it has to have something to do with a time-frame, like a calendar of sorts." Saito whom stood beside him had a closer look at the square brightly colored case Hijikata was carefully pulling from the convenient shelf. Saito said nothing but somehow doubted the picture of a man and woman kissing passionately had anything to do _with time as they knew it_. Meanwhile Chizuru watched in quivering chagrin as the confused black-haired male _man-handled_ her precious games.

"Tha-that's not i-important-!" she fairly wailed under her breath. An impressive feat that was only capable by her alone. Her hands twitched- murderously - in the oblivious Hijikata's direction when he set aside the Dating Island collection and reached for a dark blue case that had slipped to the back atop the humming PS3.

"DON'T TOUCH THAT!" she barked too late. Hijikata had the case to _Hakuoki Demon of the Fleeting Blossom_. Sadly no one paid attention to her.

"Eh? What have you got there, Toshi?"

"It appears to be..._my face_."

"Eh?"

"That is certainly strange."

"Kind o' scary looking just like real life." Heisuke muttered, earning him a chilling glare.

"You said it, Heisuke-kun. Not me." Wisely Shinpachi steered clear from the path of dagger-filled sapphire eyes.

"Hey! It does look like you, Hijikata-san!"

Then, he turned it over and more exclamations followed.

"Hey, there's my face on there too!"

"Mine as well." Saito mused, casting a cursory glance over the strange item Hijikata still held. Chizuru stopped going in frenzied pacing circles to charge in, shoving aside chiseled male bodies to make a grab for the damning piece of evidence...and maybe just maybe hope that she'd snap out of her dream and just have fallen asleep during a game.

She did remember to nab a trusty weapon.

The wiser of the Shinsengumi - meaning Harada, Nagakura and Saito stepped aside as their second in commander, took the first brunt of the pillow-wielding girl - well, Heisuke squawked most indignantly when he got hit full in the face - Hijikata couldn't avoid the next hit however. Or the next and the next.

Okita meanwhile had the item in question and was intently reading the back cover, glancing up when Hijikata's muffled groan came. Heisuke sidled next to him, rubbing at the sore spot on his cheek where Chizuru had decked him. "You know..I think I like this Chizuru-chan better." Okita remarked, watching with a tilted brow as Hijikata failed miserably in fending off the irate girl's attacks.

"She's still cute.." he admired the view of slender legs revealed by the short pleated skirt, _a view he'd only dreamed of_. "But _scary_." he and Heisuke finished simultaneously.

Chizuru had backed Hijikata up at the other end of the long room, breathing hard she still caught the muttered words and tossed a venomous look over her shoulder, "what was that?" and lobbed a projectile with deadly accuracy at the interlopers. It was only with keen reflex that Okita and Heisuke twisted out of the way. The other three who remained in safety at the opposite corner flinched and decidedly came to the conclusion that they had misjudged Yukimura Chizuru's skills.

Never mind that this girl claimed to be - Awayuki Chizuru and not their Chizuru.

"Whoa there. You actually seem like you want to hurt-"

She hurled the pillow end over end at him.

He snatched Heisuke who stumbled forward, catching the pillow-missile square on only to roar, "what was that for, Okita?" Said man released him and smirked.

"Can we all simply settle down?" A rattled Hijikata prompted, brushing displaced strands of hair from his face. Chizuru had begun stalking forward with murderous intent, spun about - prayed for patience and pointed to the sofa. "Sit."

Vaguely incredulous sapphire eyes flickered to her after following the eventual path of her pointing. In all the months he had known the girl, Hijikata Toshizo had never been ordered to do anything by her and now he...found himself complying after she pointed again and her tiny hand started to clench. Who knew such a delicate hand could wield so much pain?

Subduing snickers, Harada claimed the armrest at the furthest end, Shinpachi sunk down on the first cushion, immediately shocked at the cushyness of it. Saito sighed inwardly at the foolishness of his comrades and gracefully settled in the armchair, making sure to tilt his twin set of swords at an angle prior to sitting. Okita huffed at the pronouncement and flopped down carelessly beside Shinpachi, gesturing grandly with a smirk, "as you wish, milady." Chizuru colored some but didn't back down an inch, sending a fresh round of glares to the only one still standing: Heisuke.

Though displeased visibly, Hijikata took the last cushion closest to Chizuru, his composed expression not matching his ruffled exterior appearance. That left the Eighth company Captain to glance around in chagrin, wailing loudly, "awww, guys! Let me sit with you, Hijikata-san!" meaning - on your lap.

Said man's look made him wilt visibly.

"Okita-san?" hopefully.

"Floor." Chizuru ordered sternly. Heisuke flinched and dropped down, folding his long limbs in and pouting like a kicked puppy/er/wolf cub. Then, silence descended. The six Shinsengumi officers stared at their hostess waiting for her to make some sort of pronouncement. Chizuru remained tongue-tied and looked from face to face, feeling her inner _fangirl_ melt each and every time. Thankfully she had played enough otome games to not swoon and embarrass herself further.

"First things first." she muttered, pumping her fist and snatching the game case from Okita, from whom she deliberately ignored his, "hey!" of protest. Feeling quite like Kondou-sensei from school, she turned the case toward them and pointed to it. "As you'll notice the picture is of Hijikata Toshizo-"

"We know that." A chorus of male voices, excluding Saito's calm baritone.

Her eye twitched, she hated being interrupted. "Moving on or for lack of a better word, this is a game. A virtual reality comprised of simulated sequences following a predetermined path. Like _Dating Island_..." she glanced meaningfully to her favorite beach paradise simulator, half a dozen pairs of eyes followed obediently - here was the big one. Chizuru took a shallow steadying breath, her ponytail swishing as she refocused back to the PS3 case in her hand. "Hakuoki Demon of the fleeting blossom is a datingsimulationgame."

"Speak clearly." Hijikata interrupted with a frown. "Your speech is unintelligible."

She felt her legs tremble but plowed on determinedly. "It's ah- like courtship."

Looks of renewed interest.

She felt her face heat up, "it's ah...ah um...not _real _though."

Stunned silence. Okita was the first to break it, tilting an eyebrow quizzically, "so you mean we don't...exist, Chizuru-chan?" Hijikata appeared to be thinking while Heisuke upon her announcement, started pinching himself to make sure it hurt.

"We cannot...not exist. I-I mean we are the Shinsengumi." Harada spoke, faltering slightly at the serious expressions everyone wore. "We protect Kyoto from those Choushuu bastards and the leaderless Ronin. Who would-"

Hijikata raised a hand to silence the paling redhead. "If that is..._true_."

She felt somehow upset for them, watching helplessly on.

"What is the year?"

_Oh. Oh, that_...

"You don't even want to know." Chizuru murmured to herself.

"Answer, Yukimura." Hijikata ordered dispassionately, affixing a steely glare on her. She quaked a little beneath it but rallied her senses, shaking her head a few times.

"No...no. This just can't be happening." she felt them stare at her and half-turned away, biting down on her lower lip hard - the pain came - head-clearing pain and she spun about on her socked feet to see the six men - er five and one boy, still looking at her with mixed expressions of concern.

"Chizuru-chan, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Okita prompted gently.

"Yeah, maybe that bastard Chikage did some_thing _ to her." Heisuke said scowlingly.

"Other than a complete change in garment, she seems physically fine." Harada commented to that, nodding judiciously, "I for one approve of this new _attire_." Hijikata's left eye twitched hearing that but he decided not to add his own opinion about what certain redheads should NOT be saying if they wanted to stay in one piece. Shinpachi shrugged and noticing the veritable aura of ice cold doom radiating from his commander's aura two cushions down, hunkered down and tried to appear small, hoping Heisuke would take the brunt.

Quieter but no less audible, Saito graced the atmosphere with a few words of concerned sentiment. "Perhaps the kidnapping has-"

She rounded on the quietest of the six, angrily before he had even finished his sentence. "I am so not crazy! I am not talking to a bunch of video game characters! I am not dreaming I'm Yukimura Chizuru who has to figure this out! I am Awayuki Chizuru and-"

"Actually," Okita piped up helpfully; she pivoted around and sent him a glare. Emerald eyes blinked at her innocently. "Um that item you have there, has your name on it."

_What_...

She blinked at him stupidly and he added softer, "on the back."

Feeling triple-times the idiot, Chizuru turned the case over and scanned the small light-colored print like a hawk...having to reread the sentences several times before it finally clicked in her numbed brain.

"You are...Chizuru Awayuki who has to navigate her way through danger, intrigue and save the Shinsengumi from..." _extinction_. That wasn't what it had said before. _Oh. Oh kami_. That was not what the game was about before.

"See. You are _our_ Chizuru then." Okita said triumphantly, leaning back into the cushions, pleased with himself.

Her legs gave out on her and she slowly sunk - gracefully like one of the many heroines she tried to emulate, down, floored. _D-Did that mean_... she was staring unseeingly at the beige rug in front of her. Suddenly Heisuke's face was up close to hers, grinning, "hey, Chizuru-chan, don't you worry, when we find that bastard Chikage, we'll kill him for you!" he was so bright, so cheerful - and Hijikata's hand had shot down and was doing the _Spock_ to the Eighth Captain's narrow shoulder, leading Heisuke to half-yell in pain and fall to the side twitching.

"Yamazaki-kun's on his trail." Hijikata said, extending the hand he had tossed Heisuke aside with, to Chizuru. She stared at the well-shaped appendage and wondered if his hand would be warm...full of life like hers. Well, only one way to find out, she thought and grasped it, standing with ease. It was - she found, warm. Full of strength. Hijikata held on for a second longer than necessary, meeting her unsure brown with steady reassuring sapphire. "With all of us here, you'll have nothing to fear from him, Yukimura." It sounded as much a solemn vow than anything else.

Once he let go, she felt a little dazed - only to have Okita break it with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"So, Chizuru-chan, if that ..ah..game, had us in it and it was courtship among us guys...who _are_ you going to pick?"

Undoubtedly he'd seen the word: _romance_. She turned five shades of red and stomped her foot irritatedly. "Tha-that's none of your business!" But that was all it took for the argument to start up again.

"Obviously me!" The recovered Heisuke crowed happily near their sandaled feet; Hijikata cut him off a moment later with a sound whumping, the inevitable, "OWW! What'd I say?" following.

"Hmm," Harada fingered his chin and looked thoughtful, "I'd say I have about as much chance as the rest of you, excluding Sannan-san and Kondou-san of course."

"Ah! What about Kondou-san! Won't he notice us missing? What's he going to do without us commanders!"

"You're not gonna win, Heisuke..." Shinpachi declared, completely ignoring Okita. "Chizuru-chan is going to be my wifey!"

"Yeah right. What's she want with an old man like you!" Heisuke sneered, somehow moving without anyone noticing and was in his long-time rival's face. "What?" she fairly shrieked, scandalized, looking from one to the other - they were ignoring her as well. Hijikata rubbed at his temples, willing the headache forming there to dissipate.

After being dismissed over the concern for their HQ, Okita sighed, running a hand through his already tousled auburn locks and flashed a winning smirk to the petite girl, "I seem to recall you being most fond of me, Chizuru-chan." he all but purred- she heard him above the ruckus going on nearby and averted her burning cheeks from the smirking man.

Heisuke and Shinpachi stopped their muttered bickering long enough to intrude on Okita's personal space together, snapping, "she does _not_, Okita!"

Meanwhile the most sane seeming one, had risen from the armchair and was studying the framed photographs on the wall closest. It cannot be said, he had entirely dismissed the current situation, but plotted on it secretly, inquiring with a backward glance over the shoulder, "you have a brother, _Awayuki_-san?"

That, got her attention; like he had thought it would.

"Ah- yes! Kaoru-kun!" she brightened almost immediately, resurfacing from her plummeting depression over 'recent' events to beam at the intelligent male. Well, the only intelligent male in the room. She left the smothering confines of the sofa area and went around to Saito, where it was decidedly quieter.

"Kaoru's my twin." she clarified, clasping her hands behind the small of her back and leaning slightly forward, smiling at the pictures of a tiny boy and girl dressed in sailor outfits posing on a sandy beach in the sunshine. "Mom's passed and dad works a lot, so it's mostly me and Kaoru-niichan watching out for each other."

Saito watched her face carefully, adding softer, "you are strong then, to have suffered so much."

She half-nodded slightly, unsure of why she was drifting closer - _huh?_ To the violet-haired male's side.

Over on the other side of the room, Okita slowly removed his hand from smushing Heisuke's cheek in an attempt to push him off, commenting in admiration. "Whoa, Hajime-kun's smooth."

The now cross-eyed Eighth company Captain scowled, pushing Shinpachi's stunned weight off of _him_.

"Damn that Saito-san!"

Harada, remained the second most composed after Hijikata, raising an eyebrow and easily made the decision to saunter over to the pair lurking in silence at the wall. "Aw, what cute children." he ignored Hajime's subtle cold look and pointed good-naturedly at the happy little brown-haired tot on the left, building a sand castle while the one on the right held a toy shovel getting ready to smash it down.

"I can tell by that smile, that's you, Chizuru-chan." Harada said warmly.

Chizuru giggled, "ah, no. That's me with _the shovel_. Kaoru-kun wouldn't let me help him build the castle so I smashed it. He cried a long time after that..."

His smile had a hard time staying on, "r-really...?" Everyone could see now how this Chizuru's temperament was. _Frightening_. She was indeed a force to be reckoned with..

"Where is your brother now?" Hajime asked, hiding the shudders her scariness evoked. He'd had suspicions prior, after watching her batter Hijikata with a fluffy cushion - the Yukimura he knew, wasn't that violent. Hajime couldn't have said it wasn't an improvement to have her lob a vase and pillows at his fellow officers just so they would be quiet once in a while.

Chizuru froze in the process of answering, suddenly recalling a very important detail. "Uh...um..." internally panicking, her head shot around to catch sight of the clock above the mantel at the opposite end. "Oh no! It's time for him to get out of school! What am I going to do! How could I have let the time go!"

"About what?" Harada asked innocently.

She stopped her whimpers long enough to gesture viciously to the six men sprawled in her living room. "You! All of you! - what's Kaoru going to-" she stopped, hearing the clink of keys and had a flash of her perfect plan. Her popcorn, her soda and her game an idyllic afternoon spent in a dating world-

Unconcernedly six heads swiveled to the far doorway and the sliver of a foyer visible, the front door was opening- and after seeing some tension from her, wrongly assumed it to be danger. Okita and Hijikata stood and reached for their swords while Saito very carefully tried pushing her back behind _him_. Harada remained pike-less and switched to his short blade, tension now thick in the air.

And a boyish version of Chizuru appeared in the doorway.

"Sis, I didn't know we were going to have company." Kaoru muttered, taking in the scene fully before dismissing the oddity of the blue-haori coat clad men semi-circled around his sister like out a cheesy samurai flick. Kaoru shouldered off his burden of a navy blue backpack and lugged his load the few steps to the sofa dumping it over the back - at that motion, Okita withdrew his sword with a swift elegant clang and stepped forward, prepared to strike down the brat he recognized vaguely from..Kyoto.

"-don't be threatening my brother! Stop it, Okita!" she hissed, snapping out of her daze. Stepping forward only to have Saito hold her back by a light touch on the arm. Kaoru eyed the blade inches from his face and reached up a hand to lightly push it aside, a note of interest lacing his tone. "Hey, is that real? You guys like..Shinsengumi re-enactors or something?"

It could be said that a collective ripple of shock passed through the six men.

Chizuru sweat-dropped and wished she'd just gone to school.

Shinpachi found his voice first, "_we are the Shinsengumi_, kid." gruffly.

Kaoru dripped incredulousness, loosening the high collar of his dark uniform jacket. "Really?" Then smirked. "Wow. For a second there, I almost believed you. Hah! Your seriousness nearly got me! Man, you guys really get into the part!" he laughed and walked away unconcernedly from the sword-wielding men. "Geez, maybe I should ask dad to take us this year."

Chizuru felt the tension drain from her. _Kaoru hadn't...thought...of course not_. Because it was too preposterous to believe, but then a new realization dawned on her. "Y-you can see...them?" she asked aloud, earning her a few indignant looks.

Kaoru stopped on his way out, mirroring her expressions back at her in a face capped by short brown locks. "Yeah." a frown. "Why wouldn't I be able to?"

_Ah...ah...because_...

Her brother didn't see her slump to the floor. The unusually fast Saito unable to catch her - glowered minutely at Harada who dropped his threatening stance immediately once Kaoru was out the same door he had entered by and turned to scoop up their very unwilling hostess.

"..for her own good." He reminded the cool stare from the violet-haired male. Hajime nodded curtly and stepped back, allowing Harada minimal room and contact with the somewhat scantily-clad girl, to help her to the chair he had vacated recently. Once seated, Chizuru slumped and bemoaned ever hearing of the rare release...even more unable to summon the strength momentarily to bat away the faces of the men responsible for her current state, away.

Preferably _out_ of her sight. Far. Far away from her sight.

"Chizuru-chan, what's a matter?" Heisuke pouted from somewhere near her knee-level. "Don't you like us?" Had he not been wearing such a cute expression of hurt, she'd have immediately suspected he was trying to look up her skirt.

"Idiot, of course she does." Shinpachi grumbled from the right side, trying to hide his distress that maybe the little flower of the Shinsengumi didn't want to be their little flower anymore.

"Yukimura requires rest." Hijikata pronounced, forever front and center, his tone brooking no argument. Okita stood to his side, reaching in and getting closer to lay a broad hand on her forehead, disturbing her brown bangs. "Nah, don't think she's sick. But, Toshi's probably right. I'll be the one to carry you to your quarters." he volunteered cheerfully.

"You will disturb her rest too much." Hajime coolly stated from the left, Harada nodded, clearly put-out that someone else would have the honor of watching over Chizuru-chan.

She twitched and forced herself to find the strength to get up - without assistance, before the fighting began anew.

"I...am fine. I will handle this-"

Then the blissful thought protruded into her consciousness: _I have to figure out a way to get them back into the virtual world of the game...before they drive me crazy..._

...

Easier said than done.

Chizuru pushed aside the many offers for help or being carried, with a glare in the offender's direction. She snatched up her game case and motioned for them to follow- for better or worse, the six men of the Shinsengumi were her houseguests.

Soon the traipsing of six pairs of feet lagged behind her as she wended her way deeper into the house, taking in another breath to pause at the bottom of the stairs. From the sounds in the kitchen, she could tell Kaoru was going to stay in there longer from the whir of the microwave.

At the very bottom step, she was about to start climbing- and self-consciously remembered the first rule Sen-chan had taught her back when they still went to the same school. _Never walk up a flight of stairs in a short skirt - with perverted males behind you._ Chizuru blushed at the thought and was glad the light was dimmer in the foyer, "after you." she automatically said, pivoting about to flatten against the wall. Predictably it was Okita lurking slightly too-close. Though all of them were taller than her, his height was accompanied by peeks of a sculpted chest and twinkling green eyes that alluded to the fact that while he didn't understand the joke, he knew she was embarrassed about something.

She was failing at intimidation miserably.

Thankfully he made no further comment, sauntering past her up the stairwell, smirking. Saito was directly after him, expressionless. She was glad he was the most quiet. Then Harada who smiled at her and headed on up. Chizuru refocused her attention back to the three remaining - and saw that Heisuke and Shinpachi were arguing about something like usual and Hijikata was ...just looking at her. His gaze did something funny to her insides - when she realized they'd been staring at each other she broke it off and looked down at the floor.

Soon the vice-commander swept by her and up.

Chizuru discovered then that her heart was beating unusually fast and she couldn't resist glancing up into the better-lit confines of the stairwell. _Wasn't this every girl's dream...?_ _What if once they were out of her sight they'd-_

"Hey, earth to Chizuru. Are you spacing out or something?" Heisuke said from close by, waving a hand in her face. She started back. thumping into the wall, "ano, it's nothing." and waved off the frowning males. Shinpachi harrumphed and looked doubtful, Heisuke merely concerned.

"I-I'm just..." her look softened, "glad you're all here." _wait. What_. She could've slapped herself. Somehow the twin looks of relief on both faces made it worth it. Chizuru brought up the rear behind them, turning at the last curve of the staircase to catch sight of Harada, Okita and surprisingly Saito, about to open the door to HER ROOM.

"Hey- stop that!" she barked, shoving aside her current company and finally stepping onto the flat level landing of the second floor. Hijikata was two doors down, inspecting a light bulb sconce, clearly trying to figure out how it worked.

"Why?" Okita turned at the sound of her voice, but looked very much like an unrepentant little boy caught doing something naughty - make that _very unrepentant_. His green eyes even twinkled. "It has your name on it. We don't need permission to look in your quarters to satisfy our curiosity. Isn't that right, Toshi?"

"Quite." Hijikata muttered, still inspecting the fluted glass sconce. "Check and make sure there isn't anything dangerous lurking in there."

Open-mouthed, she gaped at _their_ logic, stammering. "Be-because! T-this is my house! And why would there be anything - " _Not you too!_ - she mentally wailed, amazed at the chauvinism of men and their penchant for ignoring the female species as a whole. And where three went, the other two minus one had to go. Five had crowded around and were jostling, trying to get the _unusual_ - to them - western-style door open. Chizuru nearly fainted when it swung open due to Saito's dexterity with knobs and her messy room was visible to five pairs of curious eyes.

"Interesting.."

She watched them march in and knew what they were seeing. The interior of a nice-size room plastered with otome posters and a small neatly made twin-size bed surrounded by towering stacks of DVDs, CDs, Manga and games and more games. Chizuru covered her face with her hand and sighed, giving up. She was almost positive there were no bras in sight or kami forbid, pink panties...not that she was sure they would actually know what they were. _Didn't they wear ...__**loincloths**__ under their kimonos?_ Chizuru flushed at the thought and decidedly didn't want to imagine what was underneath their uniforms.

No, she so did not need to _even_ think about it.

"C'mon, I'll show you to your rooms." she called tiredly, spinning on her heel and padding down the hallway past Hijikata, adding, "that's electric light in case you're wondering. New invention of the twenty-first century."

"Hm, I see. So you don't use oil lamps?"

She didn't even remember her grandmother lighting the tiny house in Kyoto with something so arcane. Chizuru decided not to add that and shook her head mutely. Hijikata hesitated, glancing back to see the retinue of Shinsengumi officers traipse out of the prohibited room, all wearing thoughtful expressions. He decided not to ask and made a mental note to examine the room in-question later on, preferably once the easily riled Yukimura was out of sight.

"Where'd you get so much stuff, Chizuru-chan?" Heisuke asked as she threw open a door past Kaoru's room. One glance in told her it was of small size but adequately furnished for guests. Mentally tallying up available rooms, she thanked the kami above for the house being so large. Everyone would just about...fit. Maybe.

"I collected it over the years as I grew up." she answered thoughtlessly.

"Oh so your house in Edo is like that?" Heisuke sounded confused. Chizuru leaned in further to ascertain there were bedcovers and a goodly number of throw pillows in-not garish shades. Everything was a subdued blue-grey, she resurfaced from her examining to frown at the name. _Edo? Tokyo? Uh hello we're in Tokyo-! _

"No. We're in Toky- Edo. For the last time! I'm not the Chizuru you know! I'm-"

"But, you are." Okita intercepted reasonably, his voice soothing - _surprisingly_ to her frazzled nerves. "You're _our_ Chizuru whether _here_...or _there_." he couldn't bring himself to reference the virtual world they all had come from. Not that he understood it one bit. She faltered somewhat under the combined weight of their gazes and the surety present in his voice.

"I..." but couldn't bring herself to say anymore The whole situation was comical - unreal but that still didn't mean she had to neglect her hostess duties. "Saito-san, is this fine?" she said instead, feeling emotionally defeated on some level she didn't understand. The violet-haired male stepped forward into the narrow doorway, surveying the inside expressionlessly, "it will suffice." he said quietly.

It was the closest to hers.

That fact didn't escape the other five males notice.

"Bu-but hey! How come he gets -"

"He's the quietest." Chizuru snapped, her fierce expression changing when refocusing back to the Third Division Captain. "Besides the colors suit him."

"Wha-what does that have anything to do with it!"

"Be quiet, Todo-kun." Hijikata ordered, while the fact that Saito Hajime was situated closer to Yukimura's room did not fail to annoy him. He sought to maintain a veneer of composure even though warning the Captain of Third not to try _anything_ with Yukimura, with his eyes.

As for the man in question, he deliberately ignored the wails of his comrades, thanked Chizuru once more softly and entered, closing the door behind him, presumably for some much-needed rest. She smiled at his maturity and jerked a thumb back, "yours is across the hall, Hijikata-san." It was one similar in size but decorated in simpatico light blues.

He eyed the interior before nodding slightly and crossing his arms over his chest. "As vice-commander, I would prefer to inspect the remaining quarters allotted for us." Not surprised, she shrugged and lead the way to an autumn-themed room down the L-shaped hallway. It ran above the downstairs living room and kitchen. After a glance at the inside, she gave it to the cheerful Okita, whom had been one of the ones put out because of a certain violet-haired male being closer than _him_.

That, being deliberate, she didn't trust the green-eyed man- not to do anything possibly _perverted_. Not his smirk nor secretive grin to 'Toshi' and Hijikata's slight warning glare. Once that was taken care of, there was only Harada, Shinpachi and Heisuke. Chizuru steeled herself for the impending fight and went down the shorter end of the L to the last set of doors.

"Harada-san's." She flung open the door carelessly, five heads peered in after she had moved on.

"Nice. Thanks, Chizuru-chan." The redhead grinned.

Her hand twitched above the knob to the last one. "And this is...Nagakura-san and Heisuke-kun's room."

A moment of silence.

The innocent room contained the bunk beds the Awayuki twins had used before they had grown old enough to want separate rooms and thus the bunk-bed had been banished to a guest room.

"NO WAY! Whyyyy! Chizuru-chan! Why!"

"Exactly my point," Shinpachi declared, no less vocal. "Why does even Sano get a room to himself and we have to-"

Said man whom had been just mentioned, shrugged slightly and smiled. "_Favoritism_."

She looked at the wailing duo unsympathetically, refusing to be budged. "Share. And be good..._boys_."

Even Hijikata twitched at that.

_Boys...?_

"Like hell! We're **men**! And don't-" Shinpachi cried.

"You're _boys_." she said still deathly calm, smiling sweetly in a way that was somehow frightening and cute at the same time, sending off warning bells in the most sensible ones. Hijikata, Okita and Harada made note of that. This looked-sounded- and was their Yukimura Chizuru, but with a dash of no-nonsense and a scary aura to nearly rival Hijikata's.

Add - volatile to the mix.

"And. You will share the room and beds without a FIGHT."

They were secretly in awe of her.

Under the weight of her stare and hands propped on her narrow hips. Shinpachi and Heisuke colored and shame-facedly hung their heads. In unison, "yes ma'ams." rang out sullenly.

"Good." she said softly and turned on her heel. "I will go down now and prepare something for dinner." she made her way out into the clear, before adding lightly, "now you boys all get along while I'm gone!" and fled, barely able to believe she had called them all 'boys' and not men like Nagakura had tried to say.

"I am not...a _boy_." Hijikata was heard muttering to the snickers and wallops that followed, predictably delivered on Heisuke's head.

...

Once in the relative sanity of the downstairs where there weren't blue-clad swordsmen from another era hanging around- make that devastatingly _handsome_ swordsmen, Chizuru took several deep and calming breaths, stifling her own giggles and on the whole feeling somewhat more light-hearted then she had in previous days.

This ended however when she finally composed herself enough to enter the kitchen and went straight to the fridge set between the long countertop, running curved along the wall. Sadly...it was empty. Kaoru sat at the island in the center of the kitchen, his finished plastic tray of a TV dinner sat off to the side while he absently nibbled at a pocky stick and looked over his homework.

"Want some?" he indicated the chocolate pocky. Chizuru closed the fridge door dispiritedly and took one muttering, "thanks." The twins looked at each other and Kaoru tilted an eyebrow at her. "Hey, sis, maybe you shouldn't be entertaining. You do look kind of peaked." his doubts over her morning 'cold' were somewhat lessened.

"Can't." she waved off with the chocolate-end dripped stick. "They don't have anywhere to go." _But back into the game world_, she thought. _Back into 1860s Kyoto_.

Kaoru _hnned_, "some of Sen-chan's friends?"

She paused in biting off the chocolate, "..yeah. Kind of like that." and giggled a little self-consciously. Kimigiku, her best friend's mother, was into all the re-enactments, as a historical planner for each year's celebrations for some event from Japanese history whether relevant or not. It was the perfect cover. Chizuru inwardly beamed at her brother, her voice steady, easy. "They take their roles very seriously. In fact...they prefer to stay in-character so much that they'd like to be addressed by their.._ah_, character-names."

"Oh, okay."

_So far so good_.

Chizuru finished her pocky stick and leaned against the kitchen counter, wearing her best winning smile. "Could you do me a big favor, nii-chan?"

"What is it?" Kaoru asked, immediately suspicious. He set aside the neatly gathered folio of her schoolwork. sliding it across the counter. "Thanks." she said, leading him to frown.

"I haven't said yes, yet."

"But you will!"

Her twin sighed, rolling his eyes. "You're too manipulative, Nee-chan. You know I can't deny you when you give me that look."

She turned off the affectionate puppy-dog plea and clasped her hands together. "Just run on down to the store and pick up some Miso stock, enough please. A twenty pound bag of rice, some leeks and fresh fish."

Kaoru had scribbled the list down on a spare sheet of paper, sighing comically heavy over it. "What am I? Your personal vassal?"

"Nah, you're just my favorite bro."

"I'm your only bro." he reminded her flatly.

She giggled.

...

An hour and a half later, Chizuru was dividing up the parcels Kaoru had brought; he had tossed a quick _bye_ over his shoulder and headed upstairs to his room presumably to finish up homework. She had grimaced over the amount allotted for her but had listened intently to make sure there were no other incidents like the one earlier - when the sound of Kaoru's door closing had filtered down, she had breathed a sigh of relief that Okita had not chopped her twin into a dozen pieces.

For the most part, it seemed 'the boys' were adhering to her word and were quiet.

Well until now.

"Do you require assistance?" Saito's quiet voice came from somewhere behind her. A little startled, she turned quickly, trying not to look too thankful. "Yes, please."

Without another word he entered and glanced around, gaze lingering on the stove and then white monolith fridge, a tilted eyebrow crept up to his low hairline. Chizuru belatedly realized it was not...perhaps what he was used to. "You, um...cook?"

He reaffixed his gaze on her mildly, "yes. We take turns." His tone suggested she should've known that fact. Chizuru bit her tongue and decided on the least likely task to not result in harm for any of the participants, by the hands of an ancient swordsman.

"You can chop these." she said, gesturing to a wooden cutting board set out with a Santoku knife. Pre-washed vegetables lay on a paper towel beside it. He nodded again and this time she noticed he was without his scarf and outer haori. As he moved closer she saw he was dressed conservatively in a long black kimono with traces of a white nagajuban beneath. His sleeves were tied back by string, exposing lean forearms, his hair as per custom, lay draped over his right shoulder.

Somehow the low ponytail suited his features. Chizuru stopped staring, praying silently that he hadn't noticed her preoccupation with his appearance. The notice of the kimono however had made the pesky thoughts about 'underwear' resurface. With his back to her and the rest of the room, Saito chopped the first leeks deftly, the sound of the knife rocking the only noise disturbing the quiet. Chizuru kept sending peeks over her shoulder, unsuccessful in dismissing the thought of a loincloth and unsure if she really wanted to know. Or why she wanted to for that matter.

"Is there something else you need, Awayuki?" he asked five minutes later.

"Uh-uh no! Why?" she hoped she didn't sound guilty.

"Because you've been staring at me for the past few moments."

Her hands shook over the fish she'd been seasoning - and worried her lip to pieces, flushing red because she'd been caught. "Ah-ah, um no,...you see..."

Thankfully she was spared having to answer - having to fill the awkward quiet between them by a cheerful male voice, accompanied by a smiling green-eyed man. "Can I help?"

"Sure!" she said hurriedly, handing over fish preparation duties to Okita, noticing again his russet-colored yukata and green umanori hakama tucked into tabi socks. Like Saito, he had left his sandals upstairs but left the two swords signifying his samurai class, stuck through a sash around his waist. She prayed that was another aspect her brother wouldn't find odd but merely eccentric about the _re-enactors_.

She sighed over the new complications her life had just undergone. Picking up an oven mitt from the shelf above the sink, she circled around, lifting the lid off the rice cooker. She was oblivious to the pair of blue and green eyes dart her way - and drop down to see the bubbling mass of rice.

"Wha-what is that?"

"...It appears to be some sort of pot that cooks rice though I doubt it is edible. There doesn't seem to be a fire in which to cook the rice on."

"A rice cooker." Chizuru said slowly, willing patience. "An _electric_ rice cooker."

"Hajime's right, how can you cook rice without a fire?" Okita made a face. "I'm not going to eat that. Besides, what does '_electric_' mean?"

She _wanted_ to fall over. "It _is_...edible. Trust me." she replaced the lid and looked back at her companions beseechingly. "Saito-san, Okita-san..."

"We'll instruct you how to make rice properly."

...

_Kami_.

"You're stirring it too much." Saito murmured from the side, somewhere over her left shoulder.

Chizuru lessened her vigorous spoon swirling and watched the pot bubble over to hiss loudly as steam met flame. "You added too much water, Chizuru-chan. Let me-" Okita exclaimed, getting a little too close on the other side to reach over her shoulder.

Wordlessly, she handed him the spoon and slipped out from between them to turn the neglected fish on the Hibachi set on the curved end of the counter...beside the Shinsengumi-maligned rice cooker.

_The Kamis above must truly hate her_.

...

"Wow, this looks and smells great!" Heisuke exclaimed appreciatively, grinning at the banquet table laid out with steaming pots, plates were set out with requisite chopsticks and six seats drew up to the western-style table, a change since they were used to sitting on tatami mats.

"But where's Chizuru-chan? Isn't she going to eat with us?"

The two helpers looked up from their Miso and even Hijikata paused, to wait for their answer.

Okita shrugged, "she said...she'd wait until later."

"Aww, " Heisuke was noticeably put out by this news, enough so that he failed notice Shinpachi steal a prime cut of fish from the nearby platter until it was too late. "Hey! That's mine!"

"I don't see your name on it, shorty."

"I'm still growin', old man!"

...

In truth, their little hostess was facedown on the island counter, exhausted to the bone.

"Ah...sounds like they're enjoying it.." she mumbled, hearing the sounds of Heisuke and Shinpachi's childish fighting. "I- I did it...I cooked for six men." and had gotten the worst part of it over, meaning a trip upstairs presumably to tell Hijikata dinner was ready, but mostly to lead the vice-commander to the bathroom and show him how modern conveniences worked.

That, was a job Chizuru shuddered at, but was whole-heartedly glad was over. Hijikata had promised to explain to the rest of them in her stead. He had been decidedly been most interested in the concept of a light bulb and the shower mechanism that piped in cold or hot water inside the narrow corner cubicle.

She did not want to know how they had taken a bath back in 1860s Japan.

Moreover had gained his word that none of the Shinsengumi would harm Kaoru or her father in the off-chance, Koudou Awayuki returned from a business trip _early_.

Chizuru sighed and lifted her head, smiling tremulously, whispering to herself. "I cooked for six men and why in the Hell do I feel like a wife?"

Thankfully no one answered her one-sided muttered tirade.

Once she was over it, Chizuru slowly refocused her gaze back to the towering two sinks-full of dishes plus the ones still on the table.

She groaned at the sight.

"Awayuki..."

_Dammit_, why did someone always have to catch her at unawares? Chizuru jumped on her stool and turned around shakily, "Saito-san? You need..." she faltered staring at the dishes he carried. Something must've shown on her face for he courteously swept in and set his burden down on the available space next to the sink, pronouncing softly, "I will take care of this."

She could've hugged him, had she not had to explain the concept of dishwashing liquid and disposable chopsticks for fifteen minutes longer. She was about to fall over on her feet, watching as he stacked pile after pile of dishes neatly, dripping, to the side.

Soon, Okita arrived with the leftovers and a wink that _Hijikata had told the others to not bother her while she rested and also 'thank you' for the meal_. Chizuru took it all with a grateful smile and began packing up the fish (she didn't want to ever see another raw fish again) and rice in plastic containers while directing Okita to dry the prodigious stacks of dishes with a large pile of extra-absorbent kitchen towels from the Butler's pantry.

In that way, the kitchen was cleaned up to only a slight scent of fishiness clinging in the air.

Surprised at how smoothly everything had gone, Chizuru smiled shyly at her two 'helpers' and bowed slightly, "thanks!" she still had the urge to hug both of them but didn't want them to think anything untoward. With Okita that was easy. Saito was less readable but she could feel the genuine warmth of his regard when his blue eyes rested on her.

"You guys go on ahead..." she shyly gestured, making a beeline for the living room and neglected PS3 once she heard the stairs creak. Depressing the button on the slim design black console, the top lifted and the stationary disk resided on the spindle. Chizuru hesitated before lifting it out, very careful in popping the flimsy plastic out and holding it aloft on her finger.

_Hakuoki Demon of the Fleeting Blossom_...

Balanced on through her finger was a silver PS1 disc.

She was entirely alone on the first floor. Speculatively, Chizuru glanced upward to the ceiling, wondering if just maybe the magic or whatever it was...was gone?

A thud and cry of pain filtered down - one that sounded suspiciously like Heisuke, from the area where the bathroom was located.

_Or not_.

Her smile twitched at her hopeful thoughts banished by the boisterous males above. For fear of being discovered, she took it upstairs, careful in closing her door just off the landing, softly and sliding the bolt home. Once that was accomplished, Chizuru took stock of her room.

Nothing out of place - no lurking men - she breathed a sigh of relief and snuck over to where her TV was buried beneath a pile of manga. Clearing the space and digging out the old PS2 from its reliquary, she fired it up kneeling down amid her piles of stuff. Chizuru waited patiently, her hands constantly fisting, her heart steadily beating faster at the Sony logo flashed on screen, when it came time, she depressed the button, watching as the tray shot out. Her eyes shifted to the silver desk lying face up where she'd set it. Carefully she took it up and popped it in the tray drawer, letting it slide in with a click.

The load icon popped up on the screen and an inordinate amount of time passed as it read the laser-encoded data.

Chizuru all but held her breath as the AKSYS logo faded into the game menu.

She had seen all this before. With hands that weren't entirely steady she picked up the old white game controller and navigated to the opening scene. _The capitol of Kyoto in the twilight and the protagonist was racing down the darkened streets_...

She played up to the part where the Shinsengumi appeared. All the while waiting - on the screen, the protagonist watched the shadow play, a man being stabbed, falling and just in the second when the first one appeared - _wasn't it Saito?_

The screen blurred and the fuzzed over outline of a man appeared.

"What..?" she was conscious of murmuring, getting up close to the TV screen and trailing her hand down the staticky panel. Then withdrew sharply as if burned, scooting back across the floor until her back hit the top part of the foot of her bed. Chizuru stared at herself - or some close mirror-image version of herself cowering from Hijikata.

_The others wanted to kill her for seeing the Rasetsu troops, Hijikata told them to take her back to headquarters_.

Everyone but her mirror-image, clad in a pink kimono and light-colored hakama; were shadows, outlines of themselves.

"Is it...is it because they're here?" with that murmur she shot up to her feet and raced to the door, throwing the bolt open and squeezing out into the hallway. Once she was in the well-lit corridor, she peered cautiously up the length, her eyes widening when the door to the bathroom swung open abruptly. Chizuru froze at this - feeling quite like a deer caught in the headlights as a violet-haired apparition strode out into view. One hand was upraised, rubbing a small pink towel through his wavy locks but other than that, he was bared to the waist down with only a yellow towel concealing _more private parts_..

She squeaked, covering her mouth with shaking hands, turning beet red in a nanosecond.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Saito stopped in the middle of the hallway, looking at her curiously. "Awayuki -?"

She flew back into her room, slamming the door shut fast, slumping against the panel unable to believe she had seen a half-naked man..._and damn...did he ever have a body-!_ She quickly shook her head at that thought, hearing the slamming of doors and loud voices - including Kaoru's.

- followed, by immediate pounding at her door.

"Nee-chan! Are you alright!"

"Yukimura, open up!"

_Damn. Damn. Damn_. Clearly no one had returned to the game world.

Could this night get any worse?

-TBC-

Disclaimer: don't own HSK

AN: I've always loved that kind of breaking-the-fourth-wall type of thing. Some things such as game release dates, actual titles and things were taken in liberty. HSK was originally for the PS2 not PS1 and the version Chizuru has in this story, is the North-American release -.-; I celebrated my receiving my game less than a week ago by starting this story. Bear in mind that this is a parody. Chikage will show up and cause trouble and possibly no one will die. In this story, Chizuru is actually stronger then the counterpart the Shinsengumi knew, she's still shy but likes to throw things...

Specific timeframe: for the Shinsengumi, this would take place exactly in the Sekkaroku episode 4, au from there, with Chikage actually carrying off Chizuru and Sen-hime unable to stop him.

Song inspiration: Miss Independent- Kelly Clarkson

No flames

Reviews loved ^-^ 


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